The Hook Up!

Discussion in 'The whoa and the sway.' started by moleary, Oct 15, 2016.

  1. moleary

    moleary GOD Bless America

    Hey there, I am opening dialogue to interested contributors on the age old subject in quest for traction.

    I can't get the Street Sleeper to hook at the track so far no matter how I try to launch it - 2.40 - 3.60 / 60's. Forget about dumping clutch anywhere over 3ooo rpm just instant tire fire. A soft launch does help from intial spining of coarse, but not the 60' time.

    Slicks are going to help and will do for next season.

    Keep in mind, this is a "street/strip" car, not daily driven, in full dress & trim, likley 3800-4000 lbs with driver. I have no plans to change anything but maybe swap out the bench seet for some nice race buckets.

    I am suspicous there are other factors in the overall suspension set up, like the front springs.

    Currently rear is UMI adjustable upper control arms and solid lower control arm. Stock frame stiffeners. Moroso trick springs, single adjustable QA1 shocks (set at +12 when at track) and HRPartsNstuff rear bar. Rims 15x8 steelies with 275/60/15 M/T DRAG radials (set as low as 15psi at the track)

    Front is all stock with exception of single adjustable QA1 shocks (set at -16 at the track) and the springs. I have not taken the front sway bar off yet while at the track. I drive to and from the track, about 30 miles mostly highway.

    I have Big Block Springs in there which were installed by P/O and I have a hunch they are BBC since he hacked in a 427 4 speed. With the BBB and alum heads & intake, this is much lighter and it is stiff up there, so I am thinking the weight transer effect is not happening even if the front is naturally up at rest?

    Wonder if SBB front springs or even 6 cyl front springs would be the solution?

    Any opinions on the rear springs?

    The rear also feels very stiff. The QP 9" rear has a drain plug and jack pad on it. The HRP bar is tight to the jack pad when car is at rest on the ground, but I don't think that contact has any effect at launch. I do notice that sometimes going over bumps, and when driving hard between shifts (or load / unload) there is a very noticable "hit / bang" from back there which is either a normal 9" characteristic ( I am told) or something back there banging (like theHRP bar onto the rear jack pad as it moves). A thorough inspection confirms nothing loose (like a shock) or cracked frame.

    I set the initial adjustment up on the HRP bar per the instructions but have not tried to "tune it" yet. I think there is something I should try to do with that also.


    I am still reading through this old thread .... http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?213538-Traction-Recipe-simple-version

    I am open to opinions, suggestions and comments now.....

    Thank You!

    MarkO
     
  2. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    You don't have to take the front bar off, just unbolt one side to free up the front end.

    As for weight transfer, that could be a factor but the rear should squat some as well as the front rise. How close is the front to the bump stops, assuming they are still there, at level with the unknown springs in the front?

    Sticks are hard to launch on anything but slicks and they have to be good ones for big torque, which I'm sure you are figuring out.
     
  3. 455 Powered

    455 Powered Well-Known Member

    I'm currently running a g body with SBC and a 4speed. Stock v6 front springs. 90/10 shocks and no sway bar. Out back I have lower boxed arms. Adjustable upper and no hop bars. Stock sway bar stock springs and shocks. 20 year old slicks that are harder than chicken lips. Car weighs about 3250. I launch around 5000 9:1 flat top short block. Comp 280 cam double hump heads team g hi rise and 800 Holley. Car runs 7.9x-8.1. 60' is hi 1.4x-1.6. Never scaled to check frt/rear weight. 4.56 gear. Waiting to dyno 455 and new sticky slicks. No hop bars eliminated wheel hop. Hope there's some info here that helps.
     
  4. Golden Oldie 65

    Golden Oldie 65 Well-Known Member

    I think 15psi is too low for drag radials. They don't react like slicks. I run mine at 20-22psi. I would experiment with air pressures, going up instead of down.
     
  5. moleary

    moleary GOD Bless America

    I have been, and i dont plan on running those at the tracvk again. Slicks only.
     
  6. gusszgs

    gusszgs Well-Known Member

    4 Speed, put a new set of Goodyear Eagle's 10" or Hoosier and get at er. Be prepard to find the weak link
     
  7. moleary

    moleary GOD Bless America

    Thank Jim, are you suggesting just make the tire change I planned to do (slicks) and try that process of ellimination; i.e.don't make any other pre-emptive changes to the front or rear suspension?

    As for the week link...i presume you are inferring the M-22 breaking? :spank:
     
  8. moleary

    moleary GOD Bless America

  9. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    Also, u-joints, driveshaft, rear end, axles, gears, wheel studs & whatever else will get the SHOCK from dumping the clutch with traction.
     
  10. moleary

    moleary GOD Bless America

    Hi Tom, yes all possible, while all of the aforementioned are new and drag race duty, something can give when dumping 525+ tq with traction....

    I look forward to traction
     
  11. moleary

    moleary GOD Bless America

    In the process now of upgrading and tuning the suspension.

    Ran her over the scale today. With 205lb driver and 3 gallons of fuel:

    Front 1960 lbs
    Rear 1760 lbs
    Car 3580 lbs

    Next to tune the 4 link with that data.

    I installed spacers between the HRPartsNstuff rear bar to lower it and gain the necessary clearance between the bar and the rear drain plug jack pad.

    I don't think I am going to spend the extra $700 bucks to replace the front arms, but will replace the upper and lower bushings with the Global West Del-a-Lum bushings and the new upper arm shafts and swap in the MOOG 5230 front spings. That should get the weight tansfer in order.

    A set of M/T 3054ET Slicks will be fitted to my other set of 15x8 steelies.

    Cheers!
     
  12. Sounds familiar....


    You'll be surprised by the changes.
     
  13. moleary

    moleary GOD Bless America

    Bring on the low 11's man.....mid 10's with the 100 shot of juice?
     

  14. Everything you're doing will help. Do you want to hit the 10s once? Or are you getting a new transmission?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  15. moleary

    moleary GOD Bless America

    Howdy Mister.............yeah, I am not planning on regular drag track racing. Build is Street Sleeper; proofing at track / tuning...Street Sleeper...

    I'm expecting the built M22 and twin disc Mcleod clutch and all the other components will service the car just fine at low-mid 11's. Yeah, if I get brave and it hooks I will activate the juice for a taste or two..not any regular diet.....

    Cheers!!!
     
  16. Awesome Mark. Cannot wait to see it all sorted out and ripping gears!
     
  17. BrunoD

    BrunoD Looking for Fast Eddie

    You most likely will hook up with the slicks,but do you have a beefed-up rear?Do you have a Ford 9 inch or better a spool.You hook up with that kind of power,a fairly stock rear will wave bye.Bruno.
     
  18. Bruno-

    Mark is running a built 9" rear.
     
  19. moleary

    moleary GOD Bless America

    Oh yes..Quick Performance 9", 35 spline, locker, beefy:TU:
     
  20. Da Torquester.

    Da Torquester. Platinum Level Contributor

    HI Mark, My best sixty foot was in the 1.5s with at 4100 lbs. I went with the moog 6204s up front. You get them at autozone. It's a different part number though. Also running the del-a-lum bushings as well. Our set ups are similar with the exception of the transmission. PM me if you'd like. I'll tell all about my much trail and error I went through. John
     

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